Plugboard contactor



J. M. CUNNINGHAM 2,779,007

PLUGBOARD CONTACTOR Jan. 22, 1957 Filed Dec. 21, 1951 22 FIG. 2

INVENTOR JAMES M. CUNNINGHAM ATTORNEY 'principal object-of this invention'to provide an improved -'and simplified contactorarrangement to the"'e'nd" that better electrical contact will "be"obtained 'between"the contactingelements.-

1 member is so constructed and arranged a'sto cooperate Wlth the locking lugs whereby'tliekontactor can"be United States Patent This invention relates to an improved contactor for use in the-plugboar-d or circuit connecting panels of elec- .tric accounting machines.

In the contactor devices of the prior art various detailed structiires are utilized to dbtain an electrical conhection between electrical con'tators'J It'is, therefore,' the 20 A further object of the invention is to provide means by wh ch acontacto'r can readily'be'inserted 'in a correct position in a plugboardpafiel and be re'tainedirithis correct position;

-A. still-furtherobject is to cause an improved wiping action of the contactifiglements."" i

Another object is'- to 'r'edi ce the cost of making a contactor th'rough'th'e improved s'ti'uctu're'of 'fthis" invention.

-Briefiy, 'th'e co'ntactor of' ithisfinvention is 'utiliiedi'na plugboard panel and comprises a bodyportion'having a plurality of'wing sections and'a spring tongue'h'avingfa plurality of wing'sections atone extremity; "The tongue is folded und'e'r'the body portion and Prtitiudes'beyond'tlie marginal surface of the body portion. 'Th'eiwi'n'g sections of the bo y portionforrn a barrel whichenvelopsfthe tongue and is concentric with the wing' sections" of the tongue. A pair 'of locking lugs is formed by slotsinthe body portion'and extends from the barrel. A resilient member is'formed by a U-s h'aped incision in the body portion and projects above" the barrel. Ihisresili ent snapped into a fixed position on the t'i'ghlfA' contact making terminal is carried atthe protruding nd'o'f" the tongue for making an electrical eonnectionwith afinating contactor ing pre ure tolth e metal between the legs of the incision Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following descriptionand claims and illustrated: in 'the accompanying drawings, which disclosefb'Yw'ay of'examples, the'principleof the inyention'andthe bestrriode,

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a section through the contactor showing it in the fixed plugboard in cooperative relationship with an existing contactor inptheimovable plugboard.

Fig. 2 is a surface development of the improved contactor for the stationary,panel.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ccntactor showing it rolled up into the desiredshape for entry; into apos 'ition in the stationary panel.

thecontactor along lines gjlil iese lugsare formed by the provision of slots 22 which lsuines the position shown in Fig. 3.

"ice

in the patentto c. p. Lake, No. 2,1 11,1 1s, granted March 1.5, 19 38 m which there is provided a fixed plugboard containing rows and columns of spring contactors and an inser'tible' plugboard in which there are corresponding rows and columns of companion contactorsfixedly securedto boa-rd." Thislatter board is arranged to be swung into engagement with the first board so that electric contact is effected between oppositely located contactors on the two boards.

Reierringto Fig. 1, 9 represents the fixed plugboard panel similarly identified in the patent, and 10 represents the removable pl'ugboard panel also so identified in the patent.

In each opening-through the fixed panel 9 there is inserted a contactorll. As disclosed in the surface .development of Fig. 2, the contactor 11 includes a spring tongue or finger port-ion 1 2 having a pair of rectangular resilient wing sections 13 and 14 at one extremity and a rounded contact making terminal 15 at its otherextremity. 'The body portion of the contactor which is shaped to forma barrel 16'( Fig. 3) comprises a pair of rectangular resilient wing sections 17 and 18. All of the wing sections extend outwardly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the contactonand are Wing seetions fi and 18 are preferably divided into a plurality of portions, and these will be described later in detail.

Whenthe development in Fig. 2 is fashioned or formed into the desired shape as illustrated in Fig. 3, the pair otwhlg sections fiand 14jror'm'a cylindrical supporting member for spring tongue 12 (see Figs. '6 and 7), and

the .wing sections 17 and 18. form the barrel of the'c'ontactor generally designated 16/ i Each of the wing sections 17 and 18 is provided with alocking lug andc 21', 're:spec' tively, which is adapted to erigage a groove, (Fig. 6)inthe back side of the ,fixed plugboard panel 9 to position contactor 11 correctly.

exte'ndinwardly from ;the marginal sides of wing sections17and 18., When the contactor of Fig. 2 is fashioned to the desired 'illnstrated in Fig. 3, the locking lugs20 and 21 are preferably allowed to remain in a partially extended position: with respect to the barrel 16.

Means are provided to assist in retaining the contactor 1i the opening in fixed panel 9. This is accomplished by aspripg catch 23 .(Fig provided on the barrel 16.

Spring catch 23 is forrned'by cutting a U-shaped'inc lsion ody portion of contactor 11 (Fig. 2) and apply- .to giveitga 'peiftnanent set'on a plane above that 'of' the remaining body portion' (Fig. 5). when the contactor is tashionedto the desired shape, the spring catch 23 as- It is" seen jin Fi g Zithat the body portion of the contactor 11 has a concave arcuatemarginal portion 25'- at one extremity. When 'the"cont actor' 11 isshaped as shown in Fig. 3, arcuate portion 25 forms an'opening, the upper edge of which is ottset with respect to the lower edge in "barrel ldl This co nst ruc tion allows ample space for "spring tongue 12 to adjust itself when it is engaged by a lrrpiec 'f pm e bp portionat, an ng e t t h the angle which remains when it is bent to the position of Fig. 3 by the forming of the barrel. It should be noted that the lower inside surface of barrel 16 holds tongue 12 at the 4 ounce tension. In moving approximately of an inch as a prong 26 of the movable panel is engaged as shown in Fig. l, the tension on spring tongue 12 is increased to approximately 7 /2 ounces. The existing contactors of the prior art undergo a change in tension from 0 to approximately 1 pound. The smaller change in tension of the contactor of this invention is made possible by increasing the length of spring tongue 12 which is nearly twice the length of the spring arm of the prior art devices. The initial tension on spring tongue 12 has the effect of starting an elfective wiping contact action as soon as it is engaged by a prong 26 of the movable panel 10. In the existing contactors a substantial movement is required before the tension becomes large enough to produce an effective wiping contact action.

it is to be noted from Fig. 2 that spring tongue 12 is tapered on its upper and lower longitudinal surface toward terminal 15. This has the effect of equalizing the strain along the spring tongue as the tongue is moved by engagement with prong 26. The result obtained is equivalent to making the tongue of stock having a tapered cross section.

The improved design of this invention allows contactor 11 to be made preferably of sheet brass instead of an alloy of copper which is in use in existing contactors. This facilitates the assembly of the contactor 11 on the fixed panel 9 since the improved contactor merely has to be pushed into a hole in the panel until spring catch 23 snaps up behind the front wall 9a of the panel. Locking lugs 20 and 21 enter grooves 27 (Fig. 6) in the back side 9b of the fixed panel to position the contactor 11 correctly. The old style contactors had a set of lugs which were bent up behind the panel after the contactor was inserted and a set of aligning lugs at the front side of the panel.

While the spring tongue 12 of the new contactor 11 is longer than that of previous contactors, the positioning of the tongue is more accurate because it is supported close to one of its extremities by a portion of barrel 16 (Fig. 1). When spring tongue 12 receives its initial set, wing sections 13 and 14 are folded under wing sections 17 and 18 respectively and form a cylindrical supporting member for spring tongue 12 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 after barrel 16 is formed. The cylindrical member 13, 14 fits snugly against the inside surface of one end of barrel 16 formed by wing sections 17 and 18. .It should be noted that spring tongue 12 engages the roof of barrel 16 for an appreciable distance beyond supporting cylinder 13, 14. The end of the spring tongue is also less subject to being accidentally given a permanent set which will disturb its proper position, because the tongue is anchored at a remote point inside the barrel and its movement is limited by the barrel.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intension, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an electrical contactor for a plugboard panel comprising a body portion having a plurality of wing sections, a spring tongue having a plurality of wing sections at one extremity, said. tongue being folded under said body portion and protruding beyond the marginal surface of said body portion, the wing sections of said body portion forming a barrel which envelops said tongue and is concentric with the wing sections of said tongue, a pair of locking members formed by slots in said body portion and extending from said barrel, a resilient member formed by a U-shaped incision in said body portion and projecting above said barrel, said resilient member being so constructed and arranged to cooperate with said locking members, whereby said contactor may be snapped into a fixed position on said panel, and a contact making terminal carried at the protruding end of said tongue for making an electrical connection with a mating contactor.

2. A contactor for insertion in an opening in a'plugboard panel comprising a body portion having a plurality of wing sections, a spring tongue having a plurality of wing sections at one extremity, said tongue being folded under said body portion, the wing sections of said body portion forming a barrel having an opening extending therethrough which envelops said tongue and is concentric with the wing sections of said tongue, fsaid tongue being supported at one end by said barrel above the longitudinal axis of the contactor and extending 1 through the opening in said barrel in a direction to cross said axis, a pair of locking members extending from said barrel, a resilient member projecting above said barrel, said resilient member being so constructed and arranged to cooperate with said locking members whereby said contactor may be snapped into a fixed position in the opening in said panel, said tongue engaging the barrel with an initial tension below said axis and protruding from one end of the barrel opening, and a contact making terminal carried at the protruding end of said tongue for making an electrical connection with a mating contactor, the initial tension of said tongue being approximately doubled by said connection.

3. In combination, an electrical contactor, a plugboard panel having an opening therein for receiving said contactor, said contactor comprising a body portion having a plurality of wing sections, a spring tongue having a plurality of wing sections at one extremity, said tongue being folded under said body portion and protruding beyond the marginal surface of said body portion, the wing sections of said body portion forming a barrel which envelops said tongue and is concentric with the wing sections of said tongue, a pair of locking lugs extending'from said barrel, a pair of grooves in said panel for receiving said lugs, a resilient member projecting above said barrel, said resilient member being so constructed and arranged to hold said lugs in said grooves whereby said contactor may be snapped into a fixed position in the opening of said panel, and a contact making terminal carried at the protruding end of said tongue for making an electrical connection with a mating contactor.

4. In a machine having a fixed plugboard panel anda removable panel, the combination of a contactor secured in a fixed panel, a second contactor secured in the removable panel, said first named contactor comprising a body portion having a plurality of wing sections, a spring tongue having a plurality of wing sections at one extremity, said tongue being folded under said body portion and protruding beyond the marginal surface of said body portion, the wing sections of said body portion forming a barrel which envelops said tongue and is concentric with the wing sections of said tongue, a pair of locking lugs extending from said barrel, a pair of grooves in said fixed panel for receiving said lugs, a resilient member projecting above said barrel, said resilient member being so constructed and arranged to hold said lugs in said grooves whereby said contactor may be snapped into a fixed position in said fixed panel, said tongue being held with an initial tension against the lower inside. surface of said barrel, and a contact making terminal carried at the projecting end of said tongue for engaging said second contactor, the tension on said tongue being increased to twice its initial value by said engagement.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Bels Aug. 26, 1947 Penfold Nov. 25, 1947 Matthysse Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Apr. 10, 1925 Sweden Oct. 18, 1949 

